Archive for April, 2011

If you celebrate Easter you are probably getting ready for the festivities this Sunday. Do you have the perfect dress for your daughter, or that spiffy new suit for your little boy? Maybe you’re planning an Easter Egg hunt, or just a family dinner. Chances are you’ll get your camera out for some of it. Here are just a few things that might help you tell the story of your Easter with your pictures.

DON’T FORGET THE DETAILS:

For any holiday I like to get any detail shots I think are important for the day. Coloring Easter Eggs is a big deal to my kids. When they grow up and look at these pictures they will not only see what they looked like that year, but they will also pay attention to their clothes, their hairstyles, the furniture, any pictures on the walls, these dishes, the spoons — everything. Get in close and get those details. You will be amazed how much you will love to look back on them, and remember that time in your life.

You know those eggs you just took an hour or two to decorate? Why not get an up close picture of your hard work. Move them close to a light source so they really shine. Put them in a basket, or next to something pretty. Your kids can look back at their work for years to come.

Do you do any special Easter crafts or projects? Don’t let those masterpieces go undocumented. Don’t just concentrate on the process, but also the finished product. This was a couple of years ago and my 4 year old took a lot of time on her bunny cookies. I can look at the concentration in her face all day as she creates.

Do your kids get Easter baskets? It’s always fun to get pictures of your kids playing with, eating, or reading their goodies. It’s always a bonus for me to catch them doing it when they aren’t paying attention to me and posing.

TRY ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES:

I took a class from one of my favorite photographers of all time, and one of the things I learned from her was that you should always try new perspectives and angles. Don’t just take pictures straight on. Take them from above and from below. Move back and take in the entire scene, then zoom in to the small details. If you think about it the pictures you take today will be the view you have of your world forever. It’s always fun to see your world from all different angles.

Easter usually involves at least one Easter Egg hunt. Ours is at home, and at Grandma’s house. Don’t just stand back by the door and take wide shots (although those are nice too), move around and find different and interesting angles. Look down from below or get down really low in the grass for a really interesting perspective.

CATCH THEM BEING REAL:

Don’t forget about the unplanned, unrehearsed, unposed moments. These are the hardest to get because everyone acts different when there’s a camera in the room. Try to stand back, zoom in, and be quiet. They will forget about the camera because they are so used to it, or they won’t care anymore.

SHOW OFF THOSE NEW CLOTHES:

Kids in their Easter best are always cute no matter what. Don’t just stick your child in front of a tree, bush, or wall and tell them to smile. Move them to a place where the lighting isn’t too harsh or too dark (see here), and talk to them. Tell them jokes, get them talking, make up a funny story, do anything to make them comfortable and relaxed so their smiles are genuine and real. Then take the picture.

Happy Easter! Have fun documenting your day.

You can read more from my series Take Better Pictures by clicking here.